AEC chief Sekhar Basu gets one-year extension

New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) The Union government on Friday gave a year’s extension to eminent nuclear scientist Sekhar Basu as Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and Secretary of its Department of Atomic Energy, officials said.

Basu, who pioneered the complex nuclear reactor for India’s first nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant, was due to retire on September 19, when he would have turned 64.

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension of tenure of Dr Sekhar Basu, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, and Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, for one year beyond September 19 or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” an official statement said.

Basu was appointed to these positions in 2015 with initial tenure of just 11 months.